The present invention relates to exercise apparatus in general, and in particular to apparatus and methods for tracking exercise.
Exercise systems which track a user""s progress on exercise equipment are known. Existing systems are disadvantageous in that they often are adapted to specific exercise equipment, are unwieldy, are difficult to install, and are often unreliable due to wear and malfunction of moving mechanical parts.
The following patent documents are believed to be representative of the art: U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,907,795, 5,458,548, and 5,598,849, PCT Patent Application Nos. PCT/US87/00527 and PCT/FR96/00333, and German Patent No. 3,807,038.
The disclosures of all publications mentioned in the specification and of the publications cited therein are hereby incorporated by reference.
The present invention seeks to provide novel apparatus and methods for tracking exercise, specifically for use with exercise equipment such as, but not limited to, weight stack lifting equipment. The present invention provides an improved system which overcomes the known disadvantages of the prior art as discussed above.
There is thus provided in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention an exercise tracking system including at least one exercise apparatus, at least one light interaction member attached to the exercise apparatus, and at least one detector arranged to receive a light interaction via the light interaction member.
Further in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention the system includes a light source arranged to interact with the light interaction member.
Still further in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention the light source is arranged to impinge light on the light interaction member.
Additionally in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention the exercise apparatus is operative to selectively position the light interaction member within and without a field of view of the detector.
Moreover in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention the exercise apparatus is further operative to cyclically position the light interaction member within and without the field of view.
Further in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention the at least one light interaction member includes a plurality of light interaction members.
Still further in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention the at least two of the plurality of light interaction members are of different dimensions.
Additionally in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention the at least one detector includes a plurality of detectors.
Moreover in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention the exercise apparatus includes a weight.
Further in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention the detector includes a processor operative to determine a measurement of the light interaction.
Still further in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention the processor is additionally operative to determine a correlation between the measurement at least one exercise characteristic.
Additionally in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention the system further includes a computer in communication with the processor.
Moreover in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention the system further includes apparatus for maintaining at least one relationship between the correlation and the exercise characteristic.
Further in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention the system further includes a display.
Still further in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention the system further includes user identification apparatus.
Additionally in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention the user identification apparatus includes a smart card.
Moreover in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention the user identification apparatus includes a magnetic stripe card.
Further in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention the user identification apparatus includes a card reader
Still further in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention the user identification apparatus includes a keypad.
Additionally in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention the user identification apparatus includes a card writer.
Moreover in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention the system further includes audio output apparatus.
Further in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention the system further includes apparatus for maintaining exercise parameters.
Still further in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention any of the light interaction members are arranged to identify the exercise apparatus.
Additionally in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention the light interaction member includes a reflector.
Moreover in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention the light interaction member includes a tab.
Further in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention the tab is of sufficient opacity such that the light interaction thereat is not detectable by the detector.
There is also provided in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention a method for measuring exercise, the method including producing at least one light interaction with an exercise apparatus, detecting the at least one light interaction, determining a correlation between the at least one light interaction and at least one exercise characteristic.
Further in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention the method includes moving the exercise apparatus along an apparatus path.
Still further in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention the detecting step includes detecting the at least one light interaction at at least one detector.
Additionally in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention the detecting step includes detecting the at least one light interaction at a plurality of detectors positioned along a detection path that corresponds to the apparatus path.
Moreover in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention the method further includes determining a direction in which the exercise apparatus is moving by detecting the at least one light interaction at a first of the plurality of detectors and subsequently detecting the at least one light interaction at a second of the plurality of detectors.
Further in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention the detecting step includes measuring a duration of the light interaction.
Still further in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention the method further includes correlating the duration with an identity of the exercise apparatus.
Additionally in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention the method further includes correlating the duration with a speed of the exercise apparatus.
Moreover in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention the detecting step includes measuring at least one time interval between a plurality of light interactions.
Further in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention the method further includes correlating the measurement with a speed of the exercise apparatus.
Still further in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention the producing step includes producing a light reflection.
Additionally in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention the producing step includes producing a light strobed light.
There is also provided in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention a method for measuring exercise, the method including providing a first light reflection of an exercise apparatus, detecting a second light reflection of the exercise apparatus, and determining at least one exercise measurement from a comparison of the light reflections.
Further in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention the providing step includes detecting the first light reflection at a first time and the detecting a second light reflection step includes detecting the second light reflection a second time later than the first time.
Still further in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention the determining step includes determining an extent of displacement of the exercise apparatus.
Additionally in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention the determining step includes determining a direction of movement of the exercise apparatus.
Moreover in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention the determining step includes determining a speed of the exercise apparatus.
Further in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention the determining step includes determining an acceleration of the exercise apparatus.
Still further in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention the determining step includes determining a deceleration of the exercise apparatus.
Additionally in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention the determining step includes determining a movement-related exercise measurement and calculating an exercise force from a predetermined resistance of the exercise apparatus to force and the exercise measurement.
It is noted that throughout the specification and claims the term xe2x80x9clight interactionxe2x80x9d refers to reflected or strobed light resulting from an interference of a beam of light.